1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to seals, and in particular, to seals that are adapted to seal roll-up type doors, such as cargo vehicle doors, garage and cargo bay doors, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cargo trucks are sometimes provided with “roll-up” type cargo doors which raise and lower to selectively provide access to the cargo space of the truck. Such roll-up doors typically include a series of horizontal door panels hingedly connected to one another such that each panel is pivotable with the respect to the next adjacent panel about a horizontal hinge axis. As the roll-up door is raised, the panels progressively shift from a vertical orientation to a substantially horizontal orientation as the panels move inwardly away from the top of the door frame. To facilitate this function, rollers attached to the roll-up door typically ride within tracks disposed at each side of the door frame, with the tracks running vertically along the sides of the door frame and curving away from the top of the door frame to extend inwardly.
Seals may be provided along either side of roll-up door assemblies to inhibit ingress of water, smoke, particulates, or the like into the cargo space when the roll-up door is closed. In some cases, such seals are affixed to the door frame via fasteners, which may be coupled directly to the body of the seal or to a frame structure built around the seal. These seal arrangements hold a flexible portion of the seal against the outer surface of the roll-up door when the door is in a closed position.
Other roll-up door seals utilize specially designed door frames which accommodate custom-made, correspondingly shaped seal structures. These special seals may fit within the specially designed door frame structure to retain the seal at a desired position and orientation, but are not compatible with standard roll-up door frames or with other custom door frames.
Still other seals utilize multi-density cross-sectional profiles, including a relatively high density seal portion that can be press fit into a seal receiving area of a frame, and a lower density seal portion that is more flexible and bear against the roll-up door when the door is in the closed position. Such seals are typically made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with differing durometer values among the different seal portions.
While known roll-up door seals may be effective, it is desirable to minimize the cost and complexity of a roll-up door seal design, while also providing a reliable, long-lasting and fluid-tight seal between the roll-up door and the surrounding environment.